Waning Crescent
by Kalia Devereaux
Summary: Edward tells the events of Breaking Dawn from his point of view, starting from the end of Book 2 Bella's death as a human through Book 3 Renesmee's birth. May end up rated M. Not sure how the story we'll end in the ratings yet. Chapter 4 Up!
1. Prologue & Waiting

**Disclaims:** I don't own these characters. They all belong to Stephanie Meyer, which is good because I could possible come up with good characters on my own.

**Warnings:** Spoilers of Breaking Dawn.

**Pairings:** Edward x Bella & other cannon couples.

**Summary:** Edward tells the events of Breaking Dawn from his point of view, starting from Bella's death as a human and Renesmee's birth.

Waning Crescent

By Kalia Devereaux

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**Prologue**

They say silence is bliss, I beg to differ. Silence is not bliss when the one you love and swore to protect in the past is lying on a table in front of you covered in blood without a single breath in her body. Still I continue to CPR without administration the air. I was not going to let her die, and the only way I knew how not to let that happen was to continue to push the venom through her veins, all the while my mind was being hit by the thoughts of those downstairs though I took no notice of them. My mind screaming to her '_you _wanted this. You're the one who fought to be a vampire despite my pleads'

Only a few minutes passed though it seemed like centuries or at least longer than any time I had known but Bella's heartbeat picked up. It began to race faster than any normal beat that a human heart could sustain. I had managed to save her. I knew this because I had seen Carlisle do it countless times. Well not exactly countless but for almost all of the family's members. Lowering my head to kiss her dry discoloured lips before resting my head to her breast listening closer to the rapid beat. Hoping that she would experience as little pain as possible during the transformation.

**Chapter 1 – Waiting**

I lay with Bella for who knows how long. It didn't seem that long once I closed my eyes. I was tired. I don't think there had been a moment since knowing of Renesmee's potential existence where I had not felt tired. _Renesmee_...my daughter. The reason for my Bella near early expiration. Yet I could not hate the little bit. Was it because of Bella's adoration for her, because of her thoughts I'd seen before the mess that now lay like an unmoved animated corps in front of me or because she was half my own flesh and undead blood. I could hear her little heartbeat downstairs and something that resembled an argument but I couldn't make out, probably due to my tiredness. Quietly I drift into blankness; I guess it's what one would call a vampire's sleep.

I was '_woken'_ sometime later by Alice as her hand touched my shoulder lightly causing me to uncharacteristically jump a little from the chair I had been sitting on.

"Hey there. Didn't hear me coming?"

Alice's voice was quiet which was unnecessary but her face showed that she was trying to hide her annoyance but it was not directed at me. I gave her a look of my own annoyance and instead of her usual bright smile she gave me a faint one.

"Mind if I clean up Sleeping Beauty?" Her voice still quiet held a questioning tone.

In her hands, which I had just noticed was an ice-blue dress and a pair of stilettos. Behind her was Jasper with a large bowl of warm water and a couple of sponges.

I nodded lightly and stood, not noticing that I had been holding her hand while I rested. Placing the bowl on one of the chairs in the room, Jasper placed a kiss on Alice's cheek before leaving and he gave me a curt nod.

I looked down at Bella and noticed that Alice had been right; she was a Sleeping Beauty, even when covered in blood from the birth of our daughter..._our_ daughter. It seemed foreign but right at the same time.

Reluctantly I released Bella's hand as Alice hung the dress off of one of the library's shelves from the coat hanger. Carefully I removed Bella's clothes, carefully ripping them off her body. Alice was already back to our side and washed the dried blood and the mess from Bella's legs while I started off with her face and moving to her body. We worked in silence until Alice thought of argument I had paid no attention to earlier.

"What!? He did what!?" I knew my eyes were wide in horror, the sponge feel from my hand back into the bowl.

_The wolf, Jacob...he imprinted on Renesmee. It is apparently something the wolves do. It's meant to be rare but Jac..._

I cut her off with a growl, "I know what _imprinting_ is Alice."

I picked the sponge up again and went back to helping Alice clean Bella. I must of unconsciously growled and worse then what I must of when Bella's life was in danger on several accounts because I saw Alice flinch out of the corner of my eye but in her mind I could hear her reciting lines from MacBeth.

Not long later we had Bella's body was clean and all that was left was hair. And as if cued, Jasper walked into the room with two more bowls of steaming hot water and Bella's toiletries bag. I was sure that Alice could handle the rest alone for a few minutes while I went to have a word with Jacob.


	2. Imprint

**Disclaims:** I don't own these characters. They all belong to Stephanie Meyer, which is good because I could possible come up with good characters on my own.**  
Warnings:** Spoilers of Breaking Dawn.**  
Pairings:** Edward x Bella & other cannon couples.**  
Summary:** Edward tells the events of Breaking Dawn from his point of view, starting from Bella's death as a human and Renesmee's birth.

**A/N:** Thanks to all who reviewed, story alerted & favourite! I seriously did not expect such a response to this story. Here's chapter 2, now it leads into the book chapters so it's much longer. And I mean like 4x longer. Total of 4,305 words, instead of the 836 words of both Prologue & Chapter 1. Enjoy and don't forget to review. :D

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**Chapter 2 – Imprint **

I went downstairs ready to do some damage to the unsuspecting wolf only to get there to see Rosalie standing in front of Jacob with the half breed baby's hands on her cheeks giggling while Jacob held her.

That surprised me for a moment that Rosalie would even allow Jacob to hold her. But the surprised was half lived as I remember my whole reason for leaving my transforming wife's side. I stood behind Jacob whose mind must have been off elsewhere not to have noticed my presence. I gave Rosalie a look and she just smiled knowingly.

"Rosalie, take her away from here." My voice was a deathly low and I watched Jacob jump and flinch though his hold on the little one tightened a little.

Rosalie did as I asked at took her from a reluctant wolf and once she was gone with the hours old baby I watched Jacob turn towards me as he took a step away. His expression actually showed his fear instead of being in his defensive wolf mode.

I took a step forward, Jacob backed away two. I did the same thing and just as before Jacob backed away further.

"I ah...I can explain...?"

I was not impressed even with his fear and his mind running a hundred miles an hour trying to think how he would explain.

"No, you can't..." I stated, my voice must have told what I had planned to do because more fear and dread crossed his face.

"You're right man, I can't. I didn't ask for this. Okay yeah I had asked for it when you gave me the car for a joyride but what I mean is...I didn't ask for it to happen with your daughter."

Jacob's voice ran quiet as he said the last word. No thought had crossed his mind to faze into the wolf. It was obvious that he didn't want to even harm me. Not that I could say the same to him right now. As if by instinct I was about to crouch down to attack him when I saw Rosalie walk back into the room with Renesmee. The brown eyed baby's hand on Rosalie's cheek while the other reached out in our direction and Rosalie nodded and confirmed that I was the girl's father.

Still ready to attack I felt a calm come over me and Jacob stance became less frightened and more casual, where as mine became less stiff and I straightened up from my half crouching position. I knew it was Jasper's doing. He was by the bottom of the stairs now.

"Rosalie, I said take her away from here." I gritted my teeth lightly. My anger still deep within me.

"No, Nessie wants to talk to you." She now stood by us with the baby reaching out to me. She had grown quite a lot which shouldn't been surprising considering the time she was conceived but it still shook me a little. "Well?" Rosalie questioned as the baby reached out to me.

I took the child into my hands and her thought as she was in my arms was, _happy_. The little baby reached up a small hand to my face as she giggle and in front of my eyes flashed all she had seen. There was me rushing to save Bella, a lot of Rosalie taking care of her for the past day and a bit, Alice and Jasper. The only image she had of her mother, all blooded. At that moment were it possible for me to cry I would have. Seeing the happiest look I'd ever seen on her face despite the mess and how frail she looked. And last of all were the images of Jacob and her adoration for him and the knowing she couldn't live without him. Had I seen it through another's eyes I probably would have felt sick, but through Renesmee's I didn't. When the images stopped I gave her a little nod and kissed her forehead.

"Jasper, you can stop." I didn't look at him but I could hear his reluctant despite I felt totally calm. He knew I could manipulate my feels which is probably the reason of his reluctance but none the less, he lift his control on our emotions.

I glanced at Jacob who was just smiling down at Renesmee with a truly happy smile on his face and I returned my gaze to her. I ran a single finger of the features of her face. She looked so much like her mother it was remarkable but that was a good thing. As I ran my finger along her lips and bit my finger with a vice grip which surprised me. I looked up when I heard Jacob laugh and raised an eyebrow at him.

"She has a habit of biting." He showed me his hand that had little healing bite marks on it. "That has got to come from her vampire half." He continued to laugh and I was bewildered.

"She's not venomous?"

He shook his head but either way I should have known. The young wolf would be dead otherwise as vampire's venom was lethal to the wolves. She laughed and cooed like she knew exactly what was going on, but I knew she was intelligent from when she was in the womb. I suddenly felt the burn in my throat make itself known due to the smell that filled my lungs...blood. Human blood. I looked up to see Rosalie returning with a bottle of warm blood.

"Nessie's din din time." She cooed to the girl as she came closer. I held my breath to block out the scent. I hadn't hunted in the longest time and the smell of human blood was just too tempting.

"Nessie?"

"My fault. Bella...she gave her a too hard of a name to pronounce all the time. So I shortened it." Jacob confessed looking up at me for the first time since my nearly ripping his throat out.

"You nicknamed my daughter after the Lockness Monster?"

"Now that though never had crossed my mind. It was the closest thing I could get between the two names."

I stood silent for a moment and kissed Renesmee on the forehead again. Hearing Rosalie's annoyed grunt as she wanted to feed her, I reluctantly handed her over. The invisible taste of the blood was getting too strong and I had no air in my lungs to speak and further. Giving the girl one last glance I returned to my brides side to see her cleaned and dressed and on a new bed with Alice by her side.

Going to Bella's side, I gave Alice a thanking glance and she smiled which seemed brighter now. I leant down to Bella's ear whispered into it not sure if she would hear me but still I did so regardless.

"She a picture of perfect beauty, just like her mother." Pulling back I kissed her forehead and took her hand into my own as I straightened. "Where are the others?"

They should have been back already. I had heard the television earlier saying that the date was indeed a day later.

"Carlisle said he needed a few things from the hospital. Esme went to the shops to get more clothes for Nessie and she took Emmett with her to carry it. She wouldn't let me go. Said I would take hours because I would buy the whole shopping mall for her."

I heard the disappointment in Alice's voice which made me chuckle and her to frown. After a few seconds things settled and I heard two cars pull into the driveway from down the highway. From the colour of their eyes it had seemed my '_siblings'_ that had stayed with me during Bella's birthing had already gone hunting. I was the only one who hadn't gone yet.

"You should really go hunt. You look terrible."

I knew that it wasn't from her premonition but it did always annoy me when she knew what I was thinking. A bad side effect from being able to have metal talks with her. While I read her mind, she read my eyes.

"No. I'll wait. I'll go when Bella does." I would not leave her side ever again and once through this I won't have too. Or at least that is what I hoped.

I heard a knock on the door and turned to Carlisle. My mind was slipping, I hadn't heard him approach but I could now hear the thoughts of everyone.

'_I wonder if I could pry lil Nessie way from Blondie so I can change Nessie. The new blue dress Esme got would be so cute on her._'

I rolled my eyes to myself at his thought and noticed Carlisle beside me his hand on my shoulder like a proud father.

"You did a good job Edward. The venom injection directly to the heart...it would not have been something I have thought of."

I didn't need his praise; there was still a chance this wouldn't work. I could have forced too much venom into her system or even yet, not enough. As usual Carlisle picked up on my worries. I guess that's something I should have known was bound to happen when you have spent eighty or so years out of ninety with your...creator.

"Edward..." I could hear his question in his mind and his tone just missed the question mark that should have sounded. "You should go hunt son. You look awful."

I was caught off guard by that. His mind asked me what I was worried about but his mouth told me to hunt. I shook my head telling him 'not now' with my eyes. What was most important to me was currently lying in front of me like a coma patient.

"Her injuries...how bad?" I squeezed Bella's hand lightly, rubbing my fingers over her still unbelievable fragile skin. The skin had harden but only a little

"Three broken ribs, spinal cord snapped & pelvic bone broken as well as cracked in two other places." I held silent of a moment. It still amazed me something so small could do that. But she did hold my strength. "She's strong Edward. She'll pull through."

I nodded, she had to pull through. She wouldn't leave me. She couldn't leave Renesmee. The young child wanted to see her so much and she didn't need her only memory of her mother to be one all covered in blood.

"She's getting clearer, still mostly fuzzy but getting clear."

I turned to Alice; she must have been talking about Bella. I hadn't been paying attention once again and let my thoughts be on Bella. She was stunning even now with faint lift of her chest and the frantic heartbeat that should have caused her to have a heart attack or for her heart just to give up a day ago. I hope I did things right. I don't want her to go through the scorching flames that ran through your body as you changed. Burning every inch as if you were in hell burning your soul.

"He has seen Renesmee yes?" Alice must have nodded as I didn't respond and Carlisle continued. "Edward, Renesmee is a unique child. I mean she's half vampire and half human. She doesn't have any of our drawbacks. She doesn't need blood but favours it. Body wise she is human. Soft skin to touch but it has a slight hardness to it. No needles can penetrate it. I wanted to get a blood sample just so I could have a more detailed look but...it couldn't pierce her skin.

She can walk out in sunlight and not draw attention to herself like we do. But what worries me is she keeps growing so fast. Because she's not...frozen in time like us, I would expect her to grow. Just not this...well not this rapidly."

I took in Carlisle's words though my mind was not really processing them at the current time. "Otherwise, she'll grow up and become an old lady and die within a matter of years." I started to him only to receive a nod.

"I don't think that is something Bella could handle. No parent wants to outlive their child and with Renesmee aging it is bound to happen just not so fast."

Carlisle's face showed he was worried. Frown marks on his forehead show this to be true though his face stayed the same. I watched as he went to a mini-fridge set up in the room and pulled out a couple of small glass containers, each with enough to fill one syringe whole. That was when he got the syringes out and started filling them and placing each syringe on a tray.

Morphine...I recognised the smell of it. It stung my nose so I held my breath and I watch as he brought the tray to the side of the bed and injected to syringes full into each arm. I knew the reason for this. We had talked about it a few times. It was to see if it would nullify the burning in the veins during transformation.

The one thing I hated most right now was the waiting...and the fact that Bella's mind was one I could not read. I could not tell if she was in a lot of pain or if the morphine was having any effect. A sound broke my line of worry when I heard a sound coming up the stairs of giggling and baby noise of someone, more exactly Emmett going 'Nahm nahm nahm!' to who I could only guess by the squealing and giggling was Renesmee.

As expected I was right, Emmett walked in the room with Renesmee in his arms pretending to eat her stomach. The sight of Renesmee laughing made me smile. The laugh I heard from her I was sure came from her mother. The more she inherited from Bella the better as far as I was concerned.

"Grandpa, its Nessie's measuring time." Emmett imitated a child's voice which sounded too disturbing due to his voice being too deep to ever pass off for even a fake child's.

Carlisle crossed the room to the table that Emmett now held Renesmee up on. All the others had flocked into the room but Alice stayed by me. I looked over at Emmett who flicked his head back a little as a gesture for me to come over. It seemed that Renesmee wanted me to hold her up from what I read in her mind.

Slowly I released Bella's hand and giving her lips a light kiss and I walked over to the table. Just as I was about to grab Renesmee she fell forward and placed her two small hands in mine. Using me strength to hold herself up. I watched as she leant forward and placed her head in my hand she held.

_Momma...?_

I smiled; I knew she was picking up on Bella's scent from my hand directly because I had been holding it for so many hours.

"Yes. I've been beside her when away from you."

_Can I see her?_

It surprised me that she hadn't seen her since she was born but I had guess they wanted for her to wake first.

"Soon...when she wakes."

I watched as the angelic face lifted from my hand and she frowned at me. Just from the face alone told me that she had been told the same thing from everyone else and it made me laugh lightly.

"Can you hold her waist for me Edward please?" Carlisle noticed our conversation was over and I moved around the table as not to be in his way.

Placing my hands on her waist she put her arms out as if this was a routine. She was barely days old but yet she looked as if she was a month or so old. She could support her upper body but seemed she couldn't yet stand on her own. This was the reason for my assistance. Carlisle got a measuring tape out and ran the tape along her body and around it while Esme wrote now the measurements he read out. It seemed he'd been taking regular measurements to try and figure out the rate of her growth. I didn't like the idea of knowing how soon my daughter was going to die but I guessed it was necessary if we were going to try and stop the rapid growth.

"Renesmee, would you try and drink some baby formula please? It'll make you big and strong, and you want to be strong when you seem your mother don't you?"

Carlisle was over to the fridge and back in barely half a second. A bottle of baby formula mixed in it and I wrinkled my nose at the smell of it and laughed as I saw Renesmee crawl up into my arms and do the same. She was too smart to fall for something like that. The others laughed as Carlisle's request was shot down again. It seemed this wasn't the first time he's tried and each time losing the battle.

I held Renesmee in my arms for a bit longer talking quietly with her before handing her back to Rosalie when she asked. Giving our daughter a little kiss and headed back to Bella's side and looked at Alice who had been unusually quiet. Carlisle had returned and was looking over Bella, checking her condition.

"Still no change?"

"None" Carlisle didn't even look up at me. As I leant down and ran my nose along her arm taking in the scent of her skin and her blood

"There is no scent of the morphine left." I stated.

"I know."

I pulled back a little and took her hand into mine, not sure whether she could feel it but I squeezed it lightly.

"Bella? Can you hear me?"

There was no morphine in her blood anymore, did that mean she was in pain. Were the flames of the transformation scorching at her soul and through her veins. I looked up at Carlisle, I'm sure my eyes were pleading but she shook his head telling me there was probably no use giving her more since it went through her too quickly last time.

"Bella? Bella, love? Can you open your eyes? Can you squeeze my hand?" I squeezed her hand lightly.

The thought of the morphine no longer in her system scared me and I wasn't afraid to show it. I had to see her more than ever but so did our daughter. She needed to see her mother. Her only image of the beauty that was Bella Cullen was a bloodied image. And I knew they had not let her see Bella in this state because she looked...dead.

"Maybe...Carlisle, maybe I was too late." I tried to hold the strain in my voice and the break in it.

"Listen to her heart, Edward. It' stronger then even Emmett's was. I've never heard anything so _vital_. She'll be perfect."

I knew Carlisle was trying to reassure me but my little time with Renesmee made me realise that not only I could not survive without her but more importantly Renesmee couldn't either.

"And her her spine?"

"Her injuries weren't so much worse the Esme's. The venom will heal her as it did Esme."

"But she's so still. I _must_ have done something wrong" None of the others had been so still during their transformations. Some had to be restrained and others screamed.

"Or something right, Edward. Son," I had learnt that Carlisle usually only used the term 'son' when he was worried or sure about me, "you did everything I could have and more. I'm not sure I would have had the persistence, the faith it took to save her. Stop berating yourself. Bella is going to be fine."

I lowered my eyes to her still face and whispered, still afraid. Feeling like I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

"She must be in agony."

"We don't know that. She had so much morphine in her system. We don't know the effect that will have on her experience."

I let the fingers of my free hand run up above her forearm and rub lightly at one of the bite marks in the crease of her elbow.

"Bella, I love you. Bella, I'm sorry." I whispered into her ear softly.

It was silent for some time as I thought to myself. Wondering how much pain Bella was in. I hadn't notice everyone leave the room until there was a yelling downstairs between Rosalie and Jacob over none other than Renesmee.

_You should go down there and stop that. - _Carlisle's told me through his thoughts

"No, I'm staying right here," My voice still a whisper as I spoke to only Carlisle. "They'll sort it out."

"An interesting situation...and I'd thought I'd seen just about everything."

"I'll deal with it later. _We'll_ deal with it." Jacob's imprinting on Renesmee was becoming more of a hassle then anything else. I pressed a light kiss to Bella's palm as I ignored the noise then headed out the front door.

"I'm sure, between the five of us, we can keep it from turning into bloodshed"

I sighed in defeat, "I don't know which side to take. I'd love to flog them both. Well, later."

Carlisle chuckled and I gave him a look, "I wonder what Bella will thinkwhose side she'll take."

That comment made me give a little chuckle of my own. "I'm sure she'll surprise me. She always does."

I watched as Carlisle left the room, off to join the others in place of Alice who entered the room.

"How much longer"

"It won't be long now. See how clear she's becoming. I can see her so much better." Alice gave a sigh.

"Still feeling a little bitter?" I couldn't help but give half a smile.

"Yes, thanks so much for bringing it up. You would be mortified too, if you realised that you were handcuffed by your own nature." Her voice grumbled as she spoke. "I see vampires best, because I am one; I see humans okay, because I was one. But I can't see these odd half-breeds at all because they're nothing I've experienced. Bah!"

"Focus, Alice"

Alice poked her tongue at me like a little kid but concentrated. "Right. Bella's almost too easy to see now."

I watched Alice's vision through her mind and once it ended I gave a happy sigh. "She's really going to be fine."

"Of course she is."

"You weren't so sanguine two days ago."

"I couldn't _see_ right two days ago. But now that she's free of all the blind spots, it's a piece of cake."

"Could you concentrate for me? On the clock give me an estimate."

I knew I was pushing her but I needed to know.

"So impatient. Fine. Give me a sec"

I watched as she looked at the grandfather clock in the room and focused on it. I saw the time on the clock go faster and then it stopped at a time and the view went to Bella's eyes opening then back to the clock.

"Thank you, Alice" I smiled happily at her. It wasn't long now.

"She's going to be dazzling."

I gave a growl, "She always has been"

"You know what I mean. _Look_ at her." She snorted and I looked at Bella more closely. She was right.

She left not long after and I just stayed quiet watching Bella and listening as her heartbeat. It had settled massively, now it was only just a bit faster than a human's. Something had changed before not that I had taken much notice though I should have.

I was enjoying the peace and quiet downstairs (or the closest thing a vampire could get to peace and quiet without locking oneself in a vault made from 50 inch thick concrete if not more), until I heard Rosalie snap at Jacob.

"It's my _turn._"

A growl from Jacob, and a hiss from Rosalie.

"Hey, now." Emmett said in a cautioned tone. He was on baby sit duty it seemed.

Time passed as I stayed still beside Bella, I had grabbed one of the many libraries books and started reading it. Seeing if I could find anything that would give some insight to Renesmee's growth issues.

Just as I closed the book I had been reading I heard Bella's heartbeat pick up and I looked at the time. It was getting close.

"Carlisle"

I heard him come from the kitchen where he'd been with Esme talking and Alice leave Jasper's side from the window seat in their room. Both entered the room, Alice just in front of Carlisle. My fingers graced the palm of Bella's warm hand.

"Listen" I was sure they could all hear her heartbeat even outside.

"Ah, it's almost over."

I looked up at Alice with a questioning face. "Soon. I'll get the others. Should I have Rosalie...?"

"Yes keep the baby away." It was then I felt her fingers twitch and I gave them a squeeze. "Bella? Bella, love?"

"I'll bring them right up."

I watched Alice take off and then dragged my attention back to Bella. It was nearing the end. I knew this. The arching of her back while the last of the change happened. The part where your heart said goodbye to being a mortal.

My breath held in my throat as she collapsed back on the table. Not only was my breath held but so was Carlisle's. I kept my eyes on her face watching as her eyes slowly opened for the first time in two days. This was the moment I had waited for.


	3. First Moon

**A/N:** Broke a record, 2 chapters in under 24 hrs. After going over word count again. Chapter 2 is near on 5000 words. I wrote Chapter 3 in about 2-3 hours, probably full of errors because I'm at the point of passing out. It's 2am and I've been up since 6am, so yeah on fumes.

Thanks to sassybtsweet11 & ColaKuesstOrange on the reviews for Chapter 2. Sorry to ColaKuesstOrange, you gotta wait until next chapter for the hunt scent. is hoping she doesn't butcher it. Keep the reviews coming. It means I write chapters fast (oh god that's a bad thing. please don't make me write a chapter a day :P kidding.) Anyway, enjoy!

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**Chapter 3 – First Moon**

Her eyes open taking in everything in a new light, it was mesmerizing. Her eyes even changed in color and intensity did not lose that spark in them that almost made my heartbeat. She was just…stunning.

For now her eyes just studied the ceiling, the light and the air; as well as all the particles that were in the air we didn't require. Something seemed to startle her as she took an intake of air, though no one had made a movement. Her startle made Jasper shift silently but my new born wife did not notice. Her focus was more on her new found taste just from taking in the air like it was the first time, being that it was as a vampire.

Her first breath brought back memories of my own. If a vampire managed to forget things after their rebirth, one thing they would not forget is their first breath. Hers would taste a hundred times better then mine. My first breath I could feel the taste the death, the plague in the air. It was suffocating. The fowl taste as people died for miles and the poultice in the air from the buildings. It had made me wish I had not been brought back from the near sanctuary of heaven. Now, all that disgust meant absolutely nothing. If I had not gone through that and been around for the past ninety odd years, I would have never met this still angel who has just woken to a new life. And that I owe to the plague that was destined to kill me and to Carlisle who created me.

Dragging myself from my memories, we watched Bella's face twist a little as she concentrated. Something a human would have never seen. All they would see is a girl lying on her back. Her eyes open motionless as she stared. Seeing her breathe more we all took in air ourselves. Holding our own as so not to startle her but also out of habit, like a shocked human. Only we didn't have that burn that forced us to take a breathe again.

Cautiously I gave Bella's hand a little squeeze. She froze for a split second, the feeling I guess she was not expecting. My skin had always ice cold to her. Now it would be warm with our body temperatures the same. Her hand was free of mine and she was off the table and into a defensive position. A hiss came from her at my direction. I wanted to smile but now was not the time. Like us, she moved with such grace and she caught me off guard by the sight of her for half a millisecond.

I leaned over the table, my hand outstretched, cautious… no anxious. She may be my wife and still Bella but newborns were unpredictable. She seemed to focus on my face; she had never seen it in such…detail before. Her eyes darted to the rest of the family members. She must have picked up Emmett and Jasper's scent of fear. She seemed to and straightened as Alice must of down something to reassure her. What she did, I was not sure because I was focused purely on newborn Bella right now.

She seemed to recognize us all which was a good thing and then she gave out a whisper of a gasp, her eyes so focused on my face that I took the chance to move around the table to her, going at _our_ normal pace. Walking like a human would have been too slow, especially with her new view.

"Bella?" My voice no higher than a normal tone which would have been a whisper if she was still human. She seemed dazed and didn't answer. "Bella, love? I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting. But you're all right. Everything is fine."

She seemed to get lost in thought and how I wished I knew she was thinking, though I'm sure it was all muddled. I stood in front of her barely a few seconds had past. My fingers carefully stroked her cheek. I was ready to grab her or move back if her reaction went the wrong way. But there was no reaction to say she wasn't enjoying it so I let my hand cup her cheek lightly. My eyebrow arching a little as I waited for her to speak. It had been too long since I heard her voice.

Her next reaction was unexpected and painful though not unpleasant. Her arms were around me, her head to my chest. The painful part was that she didn't know her own strength and it caused me to shift, trying to get her to loosen her hold a little.

"Umm…carefully, Bella. Ow."

She released me quickly, her arms behind her back. Innocents crossed her face as she mouthed 'Opps.'

I couldn't help but smile at the look on her face, "Don't panic, love." I let my finger across her lips lightly. "You're just a bit stronger than I am for the moment."

I ran my hand over her cheek again and with caution I felt as her hand touched my cheek in response, sending a small electrical shock through my body which was a first for me.

"I love you." Her voice pierced the air in its musical tune.

I smiled back automatically at her words, she was truly mesmerizing as she always had been but now it was so much more intense then before.

"As I love you," I took her face into my hands, slow and careful as I leaned in and kissed her softly at first as I always done like this in the past before then remembering I had no need to be gentle anymore. I deepened the kiss with a force I could not use before or she'd suffer an instant death. We were like a two wild teens running off pure hormones.

Our kiss was short lived no thanks to Emmett but Bella was still wrapped around me until she too picked up on it too and took a small step back. That caused me to chuckle at her embarrassment. Could she blush, I'm sure her face would be bright red right now. I closed the gap as she made it and turned to the others as my arm wrapped around her waist.

First thing accomplished on my secret list of '_Pluses of us both being vampires'. _I smirked to myself noticing she was watching.

"It was necessary at the time. Now it's your turn not to break _me_." I laughed and so did she. Carlisle moved around Emmett, he was still wary which was understandable but I was with Bella and Jasper followed behind Carlisle incase she snapped he'd could get her emotions under control.

"How do you feel, Bella?"

"Overwhelmed. There's so _much…_" I watched as Bella was distracted by her own voice.

"Yes, it can be quite confusing." I didn't like how Carlisle was right now. He was in Dr. Cullen mode and Bella, was a patient.

"But I feel like me. Sort of. I didn't expect that."

I gave Bella a squeeze and whispered into her ear, "I told you so."

"You are quite controlled. More so then _I _expected, even with the time you had to prepare yourself mentally for this." Carlisle admitted as he watched her.

"I'm not sure about that." She whispered, though all could still hear.

Carlisle nodded, his interest peaked again. "It seems like we did something right with the morphine this time. Tell me, what do you remember of the transformation process?"

Annoyed with how Carlisle was '_analyzing'_ everything I casually leant down to let my breath brush over her cheek to see if I could distract her before pulling back.

She hesitated which meant I had succeed. "Everything was…very dim before. I remember the baby couldn't breathe…"

She looked up at me frightened by her memory. "Renesmee is healthy and well. What do you remember after that?"

Her face harden, in an attempt to think as far as I knew. "It's hard to remember. It was so dark before. And then…I opened my eyes and could see _everything_."

"Amazing," Carlisle seemed exhilarated from this knowledge. I was just happy she wasn't in pain during the whole thing.

"I want you to think to tell me everything you remember." Carlisle was going overboard and too soon. I noticed Bella wince as did the rest of the silent room.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bella. Of course your thirst must be very uncomfortable. This conversation can wait."

Thank god. I could see that Carlisle was making Bella a lap rat, with all the questions.

Bella's hand came to her throat, he mentioning of it must have made it that much worse. I released my grasp on her waist and took her free hand leading her to the door.

"Let's hunt, Bella."

Her face opened up as shock made itself known. I gave her an encouraging smile. Watching her reactions reminded me of so many memories.

"It's quite easy, love. Instinctual. Don't worry, I'll show you." I waited for her to step forward but she wouldn't budge. I smiled at her, the one that always dazzled her. I just arched my eyebrow into it. "I was under the impression that you'd always _wanted_ to see me hunt."

She laughed a little, I guessed she remembered a little of our few first conversations when she was human.

"Shall we?" I reach forward carefully with my free hand and took the one grasping her throat. "I don't want you to be hurting." I said quietly for the first time.

"I'm fine. Wait. First…" Had she lost her train of thought, I wasn't sure.

"Yes?" Carlisle questioned.

"I want to see her. Renesmee."

Watching her struggle with our daughter's name and her hands left mine and fell to her stomach to feel the flat surface. Her hand lightly grabbing at the ice-blue silk at her stomach. She looked lost. Her strongest memories of our child were inside her as she died moments after seeing her for the first time.

I gave Carlisle a cautious glance as he did back to me, Bella noticed this. "What?"

She was frustrated by this. She should have known the obvious but her mind was muddled right now. "Bella," My hand graced along her back as to soothe her as was my tone. "That's not really a good idea. She's half human, love. Her heart beats, and blood runs in her veins. Until your thirst is positively under control…you don't want to put her in danger, do you?"

She frowned and I hoped she understood the cautious procedures we had to take. "Where is she?"

I watched as she listened, the scent of her own venom filling her mouth hit my nose. Not a good sign.

"Is Rosalie with her?"

"Yes" I used the tone that ended that sentence and grabbed her hand by her stomach trying to pull it way but she didn't budge again.

"Wait. What about Jacob? And Charlie? Tell me everything that I missed. How long was I…unconscious?"

I glanced at Carlisle; once again it was not missed.

"What's wrong?" her sweet voice a concerned whisper.

"Nothing is _wrong"_ Carlisle lined the last work with emphasize. "Nothing has changed much. Actually you were only unaware for just over two days. It was very fast, as these things go. Edward did an excellent job. Quite innovative the venom injection straight to your heart was his idea."

He smiled at me proud, not that I wanted the praise right now. He sighed before continuing. "Jacob is still here, and Charlie still believes that you are sick. He thinks you're in Atlanta right now, undergoing tests at the CDC. We gave him a bad number, and he's frustrated. He's been speaking to Esme"

"I should call him…" Her voice dragged off as she understood that her voice would do him no justice. "Hold on Jacob is _still here_?"

Carlisle and I shared a glance, it was best to go and now. "Bella, there's much to discuss but we should take care of you first. You have to be in pain…"

"But Jacob"

I wanted to growl, she wanted to push it. "We have all the time in the world for explanations, love."

She must have deliberated that she would wait, "Okay."

"Wait, wait, wait!" I cursed Alice as she prolonged things and with something so trivia. "You promised I could there the first time! What if you two run past something reflective?"

"Alice" I had to force back a growl.

"It will only take a second!" Alice took off and I sighed, defeated.

"What is she talking about?"

Before Bella could get an answer, Alice was already back with Rosalie's ceiling to floor mirror that was twice the width of Alice petite frame. And barely a step behind her was the now moving Jasper. Still watching Bella with caution as she confused him. Not like any of the newborns he had dealt with before. They all ran off of pure instinct where as Bella had control. If she ran from instinct she'd already attempt to drink from our daughter and killed Jacob.

Her eyes focused on Jasper, she must have noticed all the newborn bites on his visible skin. She had only seen them through…hazed eyes before. She reacted as I expected, defensive. Anyone else would do the same. He gave her a wryly smile and Alice got a little annoyed and pulled Bella's attention away.

"Edward gave me grief for not getting you to a mirror before the wedding. I'm not going to be chewed out again."

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Chewed out?"

"Maybe I'm overstating things" She said absently as she turned the mirror to Bella.

"And maybe this has solely to do with your own voyeuristic gratification." I countered and she winked back.

My eyes looked back at my Mrs. Cullen. She stared at herself in wonder, in disbelief and then horror as she saw her eyes. She had seen them in a newborn before but through vampiric eyes you did not miss a single detail.

Her eyes did not leave the mirror as she spoke, "The eyes?"

"They'll darken up in a few months," I tried to be reassuring. "Animal blood dilutes the color more quickly than a diet of human blood. They'll then amber first, then gold."

"Months?" Bella's voice was stressed but that past my ears as I saw Alice's vision.

Jasper had stepped forward alarmed that had set Alice off. I saw that Jasper's curiosity was getting the better of him but nothing would happen.

"No, I'm fine" My eyes focused as Bella looked at herself in the mirror. "It's just…a lot to take in."

_How does she do that?_

"I don't know," I murmured truthfully. Bella's mind was the only one I could not tap into.

My response to the silent question caused her to frown. "What question did I miss?"

I couldn't help but grin, exposing Jasper would be fun. "Jasper wonders how you're doing it."

"Doing what?"

"Controlling your emotions, Bella." I could read the shock still firm in Jasper's mine that I chuckled inwardly. "I've never seen a newborn do that stop an emotion in its tracks that way. You were upset, but when you saw our concern, you reined it in, regained power over yourself. I was prepared to help, but you didn't need it."

"Is that wrong?"

"No," Jasper's voice held it's uncertainty.

I ran my hand down Bella's arm encouraging her. "It's very impressive; Bella, but we don't understand it. We don't know how long it can hold."

I heard Alice impatience before she spoke it. "But what do you think?" She point to the mirror as she questioned Bella.

"I'm not sure…" Bella was afraid. I could see it in her eyes. She didn't want anyone to know.

She lifted her hand and waved and watched as the mirror image copied and then touched her face. I sighed lightly and she looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Disappointed?"

I couldn't help but laugh, "Yes."

Bella was shocked, Alice snarled and Jasper got on the defensive to up in. I paid them no mind and wrapped my arms tightly around her form. Carefully I pressed my lips to her cheek.

"I was rather hoping that I'd be able to hear your mind, now that it is more similar to my own," I murmured against her cheek softly. "And here I am, as frustrated as ever, wondering what could possibly be going on inside your head."

She seemed to settle with that. "Oh well, I guess my brain will never work right. At least I'm pretty."

I let a growl rumble through my lips into her ear. "Bella, you have _never_ been merely pretty."

_Could you take her hunting now? This is becoming more then I can handle._

I pulled back from Bella annoyed, "All right, all right."

"What?"

"You're making Jasper more edgy by the second. He may relax a little when you've hunted."

They exchanged some acknowledgement though I was not paying attention. "Okay. Let's hunt."

Bella unwrapped my arms from around her and held onto one of my heads. Which was then Alice took the mirror back to Rosalie and Emmett's room, at a human pace.


	4. Hunt

**A/N: **Hi all, sorry about the wait for this chapter. That double chapter in one night knocked me out of my sleeping pattern which then pushed me into a semi-writers block. Plus I've had a few things to deal with. **BIG** thanks to all those who review, alerted & favorite . I still have a 'I suck at writing' complex but some of the comments I've received have given me a boost.

So anyway forth chapter is up. Total of 5,067 words (yay! beats chapter 2)

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**Chapter 4 – Waiting**

"The window?" She questioned as we stood in what was more of a glass doorway then a window due to the full length of it. Well that and it slide open with no balcony attached like you would see in most places. It made me wonder if she was afraid of the height as she looked down from the second floor.

_Come on, wimp out. Have to be carried. I got 50 bucks riding on this with Rose._

I ignored Emmett's self determination to win as my family still chose to bet on my wife even when she was hopefully less prone to accidents.

A smile crossed my lips as I watched her; at least Emmett had given me an idea as to how to make him lose the bet he had with Rose. "It's the most convenient exit. If you're frightened, I could carry you."

I watched as something flashed through her eyes; was it fear or annoyance at the proposal I wasn't sure.

"We have all eternity, and you're worried about the time it would take to walk to the back door?"

_Ah hahaha! I knew it. Easy money._

I wanted to tell Emmett off but Bella didn't need to know she was being bet against again. "Renesmee and Jacob are downstairs…"

Realization must have hit her then as she gave a small "Oh."

Quiet settle over us for a moment, Esme and Carlisle in the hallway talking about one of Esme's refurbishing jobs she had gotten a few towns over. Jasper's mind screamed 'Go, go, go' while Emmett was just intensely staring at Bella waiting for her to wimp out.

"Is Renesmee…okay…with Jacob there?" She whispered which brought my attention back to her completely. "He doesn't like her much."

I mentally cringed then, if only she knew the half of it. "Trust me, she is perfectly safe. I know exactly what Jacob is thinking."

'And _thank_ god right now it would only fall along the likes of never let go of her. Keep her safe and spoil her rotten…if I could afford too.' I thought to myself

"Of course." She murmured looking at the ground. I wondered if she thought I would be so cruel to leave _our_ in harms but that was as far as I let the thought go.

"Stalling?"

"A little. I don't know how…"

I heard Emmett chuckle under his breath and was sure that Bella had heard too. He wasn't exactly hiding it and because I that I shot him a glare.

_Sorry…can't help it. You know I got this one._

Emmett said his thought running through my mind. I wanted to turn just tell him I'd put my '_trust fund' _on that he would lose but that would only alert Bella and make her worse off.

"Watch me." I walked to the window and stepped out as I usually did and let the slow gravity pull me down until I landed on the ball of my feet as if landing from a normal jump.

Once I landed I took a step to the side and looked up. She was hesitating and examining her clothes from what I saw. She looked as if she expected to fall like a large bolder of a cliff. She did not realize yet that we could probably fall of a wing of a jet or even the space shuttle as it reached Earth's atmosphere and still land with nothing more than the sound of a person dropping a rock over the edge of a boat or at most a tree falling.

As she feel, in that short moment I had lost the breath that had occupied my dead lungs. All she needed was a set of white feather wings and any mortal would have thought she was an angel.

She grinned at me as she landed, "Right. Easy."

I couldn't help but smile back. "Bella?"

"Yes?"

"That was quite graceful even for a vampire."

'That equaled, no blew Alice's grace out of the water. I hope she wasn't watching. She's be a bit upset about that.'

She looked at me as if I was playing a dirty joke but her smile came back and brighter as she accepted my words. I could hear the others in the room, they were completely stunned.

"_Thank_ you" she said to me while taking off the shoes. I heard her thoughts but had seen them in the moment before she came rushing back into the room.

_Don't you dare, don't you dare. Don't you do not dare._

Bella threw the shoes back up through the window as I had seen in Alice's split second vision as she then ran into the room.

"Her fashion sense hasn't improve as much as her balance." I heard my pixie 'sibling' grumble as her thoughts held the jealous tone.

_Bella and her stupid grace, showing off and being better then me._

I held back a snicker and took Bella's hand into mind. It was going to take some getting used to not feeling a fire burn at my flesh every time I touched her. That fiery burn I had actually grown to love with each touch.

We took off into a run, Bella easily followed though I had been prepared to slow if needed. Slowly the thoughts of the others faded as we got further away but by the river I could still hear them clear enough.

_Damn it! Can't believe I lost. But I still got the other one. I **can't **lose on that one._

And then there lied Rosalie's thoughts of: _How could he bet against me. I'm no Alice but did he really think Edward would allow her to wimp out._

Jasper's thoughts were ones of relief as to be expected but Alice was still grumbling about Bella's grace.

We reached the water's edge and Bella looked up to me with her intense newborn eyes. "Are we swimming?"

"And ruin your pretty dress? No. We're jumping."

"You first."

That I had expected that so I was going to have some fun with it. I let my hand grace over her soft cheek and took to steps back. I took off and jumped over the river. As I near the end of the river clearing I moved into a somersault to show off a little. Since it was _her _first time. I was going to have some fun.

As I landed easy on my feet I heard her "show-off" which cause me to inaudibly laugh. I watched from my landing point as she backed up double of what I had. As she was ready to jump I heard a rip and couldn't help but laugh more. Her movement forward had been too wide. Her memory still held the stride length she would need as a human which led to the destruction of the dress which would not please Alice.

Two more rips, a distant laugh from Emmett and Alice's annoyance grew. I should have known they were still watching; I just not picked up on them as they had been silent the whole time but now the mutt was watching too.

Even with the audience it shouldn't take her this long. I slowly headed back to Bella. "Bella? Do you want to watch again?"

I stopped as I saw her jump and over shoot where I had landed. I took off after her not sure how she would land but when I got to her she was moving from branch to branch as a monkey would but she made it look more natural then any creature that had been doing it for most of their life.

"Was that good?"

I smiled somewhat like a first time father, which I was just not to my wife. She was a newborn but nothing at all like a vampire newborn. More like a newborn child. How little kids always looked to their parents for their approval that they did good.

"Very good."

"Can we do it again?"

"Focus, Bella we're on a hunting trip."

Her face seemed to drain of the excitement a little but not much. "Oh, right. Hunting"

"Follow me…if you can." I gave a teasing grin and took off.

It was remarkable that she kept up with me. She didn't have my agility but she had the force from the newborn strength and even with his strength Emmett was not able to keep up with me. The deeper we got the more she got used to running, her wonderful laughter filling the forest and as she got used to the strides they go stronger, then I had trouble keeping up. That I did not have with any of them during their newborn stage but they also weren't as controlled as Bella.

I stopped in my tracks once we reached our destination but Bella was over thrilled by the speed of running. "Bella"

She stopped and came back with a questioning look on my face. "Do you want to stay in the county? Or were you planning to continue to Canada this afternoon?"

"This is fine" Her eyes watched me intensely or more precisely, my lips. "What are we hunting?"

"Elk. I thought something easy," Her eyes narrowed at me, making me feel a little intimidated. "For your first time…"

"Where?" He voice was impatient as was her searching.

I moved to stand behind her my hands on her shoulders. "Hold still for a minute. Now close your eyes." My hands slowly ran up her neck and my finger stopped to stroke her cheeks softly. "Listen…what do you hear?"

As she listened it shocked me still. She was always stunned me but I wasn't sure if it had to do with her being a vampire as well or if it was just something else. She as the humans would say, 'takes my breath away'

"By the creek, to the northeast?"

"Yes. Now…wait for the breeze again and…" It was then the wind blew again but it wrapped around us not seeming to come from any direction. Her scent filled my nose and I could taste every bit of her without the sting that I had before not that I had minded it. "What do you smell?"

I watched her face closely as the look of smelling the most fabulous thing around and then her nose scrunched up. She must of smelt the elk hit her nose which made me chuckle. "I know it takes getting used to."

"Three?"

She was close which was good she picked all those closest to us. "Five. There are two more in the trees behind them."

"What do I do now?"

I placed my hands lightly on her waist, lips to her ear. My voice quiet as I whispered into her ear, "What do you feel like doing?"

My hands moved back up to her cheeks as her eyes snapped open, "Don't think about it…" I stood back running my hands over her neck as I released her. "Just follow your instincts."

I watched as she gracefully crouch. She took off into run towards the elk and in that under a second moment the wind shifted and her direction as the scent hit me. A human.

'I should have checked the area. Some stupid human went off the trail I can't believe it.' I growled to myself. Carlisle was going to have a go at me for sure.

I took off in the direction that Bella had gone. The scent of fresh human blood even tempted me but I had nearly a century of experience. The ran held on for a bit but we were near the clearing that the human was in when she slowed down then spun around to stop.

A fierce growl vibrated from her throat and I stopped a few feet from her. I held my arms out to let her know I meant no harm. I would be there I under a second if reality of her to be actions hit her; I know she would be in shock. I would do all I could to calm her.

Reasoning came back to her eyes and I lowered my arms moving forward. I was stunned she even managed to stop but see what she was able to understand happening surprised me even more.

"I have to get away from here," Her voice was still a hiss as she was still in her defensive mode.

"_Can_ you leave?"

How long would this amazing control last? How long would it be before the thirst of what our natural meal to take over again?

It shouldn't have surprised me when she took off again. But it wasn't the taking off that shocked me. It was the direction she took. She went straight past me away from the clearing. Away from the human. I was having a little trouble with not going towards the scent as I hadn't feed in weeks. Taking a quick moment past where I had to collect myself and took off after Bella.

The force in her steps made her get well ahead of me but I could up after a few minutes and then over shot her. I hadn't sense her stop but I was fast to turn and return to her side.

"How did you do that?" Not being able to read her mind made things infuriating. I wanted to know how she had so much control as newborn.

"You let me beat you before, didn't you?

I watched her for a bit, then shook my head. "Bella, how did you do it?"

She looked at me confused as if it was obvious, "Run away? I held my breath."

"But how did you stop hunting?"

"When you came up behind me…I'm sorry about that."

I blinked for shortest moment confused, "Why are you apologizing to _me?_ I'm the one who was horribly careless. I assumed no one would be so far from the trails, but I should have checked first. Such a stupid mistake! _You_ have nothing to apologize for."

"But I growled at you!"

I had to force back my laughter at her words. "Of course you did. That's only natural. But I can't understand how you ran away"

"What else could I do? It might have been someone I know!"

I couldn't hold in the laughter anymore and it slipped my lips and burst from my throat. I guess it was lucky that the person had been clueless to our being there but Bella wouldn't have to worry if she couldn't have stopped. The person was someone not from Folks or any of the surrounding towns.

"_Why are you laughing at me?"_ Her voice sent a chill down my spine and the tone had scared me causing me to stop laughing.

"I'm not laughing at you, Bella. I'm laughing because I am in shock. And I am in shock because I am completely amazed."

She tilt her head a little confused, ""Why?"

"You shouldn't be able to do any of this. You shouldn't be so…so rational. You shouldn't be able to stand here discussing this with me ally and coolly. And, much more than any of that, you should_ not_ have been able to break off mid-hunt with the scent of human blood in the air. Even mature vampires have the difficulty with that we're always very careful of where we hunt so as not to put ourselves in the path of temptation. Bella, you've behaving like you're decades rather than days old."

"Oh."

Emotions flashed through her eyes as they drifted from mine. I placed my hand on her soft cheeks staring into those newborn red eyes and spoke the words that plagued my mind.

"What wouldn't I give to be able to see into your mind for just this one moment."

My curiosity on my bride's self control, my hunger to feed it didn't disappear; only faded. Or at least only the curiosity. My hunger was still there, but it was a new hunger. The one I had to hold back during Bella's time as a human, even on our honeymoon in the wreckage of the bedrooms; I still held back.

Her fingers traced my face and lingered on my lips, I did not need to read her mine to know what was running through them as I was feeling the same thing. The intensity that between and within us.

"I thought I wouldn't feel this way for a long time? But I still _want_ you"

Shock it hit me then and though I could feel the burn between us, it surprised me that she was even able to really think of anymore then feeding right now.

"How can you even concentrate on that? Aren't you unbearably thirsty?"

Her eyes closed as she began to concentrate again and I let my hands drop from her face to my sides. I listened as she did and took in the scents as well. My nose did pick up on the scent of a mountain lion.

Her eyes flashed open and she took off towards the mountain lion and barely a millisecond later I was off after her. I wanted to be there just in case something went wrong. I landed on the branch that Bella had been on just before she switched trees and landed on the branch the lion had been on.

I held my breath as I watched the exchange between the two. The lion was definitely bigger, I didn't need vampire eyes to see that. The lion gave a shrieking growl at Bella's sudden appearance on the branch and was annoyed that the slightest movement she caused on the branch scared its prey away.

Bella didn't seem to notice the baring of its fangs or the hooked claws that would slice through human flesh like butter. She launched at it like instinct told her too and they fell to the ground. Both landing on their feet, Bella naturally faster as she pounced towards it again as the lion delayed by shock raked it's claw along her arm.

The weak attacked made Bella move back but I was sure the attack wasn't the reason she moved back and I was right as she launched forward knocking the lion onto it's back. I knew then that she was not going to have trouble even with the larger prey. If she were to take a liking to bear, Emmett would be upset. The lion used its strength to knock Bella back and bite down on her neck while it's paws shredded her dress. I watched when all it did was struggle to get through her flesh which made it more irritated. I could have sworn I had heard Bella laugh quietly to herself at its feeble attempt.

Play time had seemed to be over as she knocked the lion back there was a snap or more two that made my empty stomach curdle. She's the fore bone in the lion's front paws before she leaned down lightning fast and bit through the main artery in the lion's neck. I couldn't watch the sight and yet I couldn't look away. I would taste the blood due to being able to smell it but it wasn't the same as quenching the thirst.

I grimaced inside as I watched Bella's fierce attack on lion, it was nerve racking. Gurgles came from the beast as it rapidly became lifeless. Bella threw the carcass away from her and stood. While she had been drinking I took the moment to look away and I moved to the forest floor and stabled myself on tree trunk. When I looked back she was covered in blood and clothing shredded, not that I could complain. She was looking extremely edible.

"Hmm…"

"I guess I could have done that better."

My eyes glanced over each inch of her body and tatted clothes. "You did perfectly fine. It's just that…it was much more difficult for me to watch then it should have been."

I was odd that for someone who would turn green just from the scent of blood to want to become a vampire, but the real reason for that was known. But to watch her suck a mountain lion dry and I was positive she'd still be thirty. Had I hunted mountain lions when I was a new born, it would have taken 3 if not more to slightly subdue the burn.

Bella's eyebrow rose confused, "It goes against the grain…letting you wrestle with lions. I was having an anxiety attack the whole time"

She blinked for a moment and I expected her to laugh but she just pulled a face. "Silly"

"I know. Old habits die hard. I like the improvements to your dress, thought."

Instinctually I waited for the blush to cross her face that I would never see but I knew she would as she was a little _exposed_ right now.

"Why am I still thirsty?"

"Because you're young."

A sigh slipped through those colder lips of hers, "And I don't suppose there are any other mountain lions nearby."

"Plenty of deer, though"

Her face scrunched up like a disapproving child…much like Renesmee's had when she smelt the baby formula. "They don't smell as good."

"Herbivores. The meat-eaters smell more like humans." _That is unless you come across a human who has practically eaten nothing but vegetables since birth. Then they smell more like the herbivores._ I told myself silently.

"Not that much like humans"

"We could go back…" I held back a teasing smile but I was sure that my eyes gave it away. "Whoever it was out there, if they were men, they probably wouldn't even mind death if you were the one delivering it." My eyes graced over her tatted beauty. "In fact, they would think they were already dead and gone to heaven the moment they saw you."

Her bodily retort showed she didn't believe me but I was not making it up.

"Let's go hunt some stinking herbivores."

We headed back towards home and found a field of mule deer, this time I hunted as well. My own burning throat was getting the better of me now. I watched Bella make more of a mess on the dress. Whereas I didn't have a hair out of place but that was due to a century of hunting. Like I had when I first started getting close to Bella, I overfed but this time I had done it because the thirst didn't want to go away. I guessed it was due to the strong hit of that pure human blood on a parched throat and stomach.

I felt Bella's eyes on me as I let pure instinct take over, pouncing on one of the deer, one hand on its head while the other on the base of its neck as I sunk my teeth in letting the blood pour down my throat but not fast enough.

Feeling her eyes on me for longer than I had expected I turned to her curiously as I finished off the last deer that settled my thirst or at least one of them.

"No longer thirsty?"

"You distracted me. You're much better than I am."

That caused me to smile, of course I was. I'd been doing it for long. "Centuries of practice."

"Just one."

I laughed as she corrected me; I guess I was getting a bit cocky. "Are you done for today? Or did you want to continue?"

"Done, I think." She was silent for a moment. Contemplating if she was really done I guess. "I want to see Renesmee."

I reached my hand out and the moment she took it our bodies were close together. Now our other thirst was begging for attention. Her free hand was to my face stroking at my skin, her fingers like a combination of velvet and silk against my cheek. Our eyes locked and her arms slowly circled my neck as if remembering my warning for her not to break me.

My arms threw themselves around her waist, slamming our bodies together and my lips entangled hers. My tongue slipped into her mouth, venom watering both our mouths as our excitement grew. I could taste the blood in her mouth that made things intensify. I wondered now if she understood now why I had told her just before we got together, in the days I was breaking the rules that she had been wrong about her liking me more then I liked her.

I felt her body shiver as I ran my tongue along the roof of her mouth. One hand twisting its fingers through my hair the other tracing my chest through my shirt. Her own force hit me as she responded more and her strength threw me off balance and we fell back onto the forest floor.

"Oops" I couldn't help but laugh at Bella's reaction. It was so innocent yet her passion filled action less than a split second ago was not innocent. "I didn't mean to tackle you like that. Are you okay?"

_Okay? Was okay? It was something rather dumb to ask. I am fantastic._ I stroked her cheek and smiled at her. "Slightly better than _okay."_

I then remembered where we had been heading too before ending up on the ground, "Renesmee?"

Her face twitched a little as she was in deep thought and after a second she had made her decision. "Renesmee."

She was on her feet as was I with her pulling me up. As much as I wanted to continue to explore more with her. Let our bodies let loose we had plenty of time I knew that her memories of our daughter were frail.

We started heading back and I as we went along I could only wonder what was running through her mind. I made me frustrated not know even now.

"Tell me about her."

I smiled and took her hand as we ran. "She's like nothing else in the world."

"How much is she like you? How much like me? Or like I was, anyway."

"It seems a fairly even divide."

_Though I think she looks more like you. She has your beauty._

"She was warm-blooded" I didn't like how Bella spoke in past-tense but then I remembered her only memories of our baby was those that were fading.

"Yes. She has a heartbeat, though it runs a little bit faster than a human's. Her temperature is a little bit hotter than usual, too. She sleeps."

"Really?" The tone in Bella's voice was that of surprise.

"Quite well for a newborn. The only parents in the world who don't need sleep, and our child already sleeps through the night." I laughed lightly and irony of it. "She has exactly your color eyes so that didn't get lost, after all. They're so beautiful."

"And the vampire parts?"

"Her skin seems about as impenetrable as ours, not that anyone would dream of testing that."

She blinked at me shocked, I wasn't sure whether it was to say 'you'd let someone test that on our child' or as if to say 'who's trying!? I'll kill them'

"Of course no one would," I had to make sure she believed me. I didn't want to have to deal with a newborn out of control just from a misunderstanding. "Her diet…well, she prefers to drink blood. Carlisle continues to try to persuade her to drink some baby formula, too…but she doesn't have much patience with it. Can't say that I blame her nasty-smelling stuff, even for human food."

I watched Bella's reaction, she had shock all over her face and it made me wonder what I said out of place.

"Persuade her?"

"She's intelligent, shockingly so and progressing at an immense pace. Though she doesn't speak yet she communicates quite effectively."

"Doesn't. Speak. _Yet."_

I slowed us down, she looked as if she was going to have a panic attack with this knowledge and I just wondered how she'd react when she saw her.

"What do you mean, she communicates effectively?" Her voice now held an edge to it.

"I think it will be easier for you to…see for yourself. It's rather difficult to describe."

The talk about our daughter ended and upon the hearing the name in the next sentence made me flinch little.

"Why is Jacob still here? How can he stand it? Why should he?" I heard Bella's emotions leak into her speech; she felt guilty, responsible. "Why should he have to suffer more?"

_Suffer? Hardly. The only suffering he'll be doing is when I'm peeling his flesh from bone. For being a wretched mutt who imprinted on our baby girl._

"Jacob isn't suffering. Though I might be willing to change his condition." I gritted trying not to think more of what could be to come with Jacob Black and our Renesmee Cullen.

"Edward!" Hissing she yanked us to a stop and I was so tempted to tell her now but I would have to wait. "How can you say that? Jacob has given up _everything_ to protect us! What I've put him through!"

_The mutt deserves every bit of it._

"You'll see exactly how I can say that," I muttered. "I promised him that I would let him explain, but I doubt you'll see it much differently than I do. Of course, I'm often wrong about your thoughts, aren't I?" I examined her face carefully.

"Explain what?"

I shook my head to her question; I was going to resist the urge to tell her. "I promised. Though I don't know if I really owe him anything at all anymore"

"Edward, I don't understand."

I reached up and stroked her cheek smiling; I would not let it bother me anymore. Or at least not for now.

I don't like feeling confused."

"I know. And so let's get you home, so that you can see it all for yourself." Frowning at her clothes, not suitable to see our angel in. "Hmm…" I removed my shirt and gave it to her.

"That bad?"

_Oh yes,_ very_ bad. Ravishing actually. Not a sight for anyone really other then myself._ I grinned to myself as I watched her put my shirt on.

"I'll race you." Another challenge was it. "No throwing the game this time!"

I released her hand and she slipped her arm through the shirt. "On your mark…"


End file.
